A bouquet of literature

Fancy a nice trip to the English county of Somerset? Arranger and composer Hywel Davies takes us on this journey with the tenor saxophone into the vibrant past of British folk music. He has successfully arranged some of the folk songs collected by Cecil Sharp and enriched them with fresh and creative original compositions. This anthology with sonorous and pointed piano accompaniment - easy to master for non-pianists - is an easy hurdle for pupils to overcome with the greatest possible fun factor and offers teachers potential for expansion in the area of improvisation on the basis of the existing themes (ballads, sea shanties and work songs).

Equally refreshing sketches for alto saxophone and piano are the Three Latin Sketches by Mike Cornick. The three short pieces have a Latin American swing, a touch of melancholy from the blues and tango and will give listeners a lot of pleasure on recital evenings thanks to the required interactivity.

Other trouvailles are worth getting to know, including the piece by the young composition talent Linus Köhring with the autobiographical title A Viennese in America. This eight-minute concerto for alto saxophone and small orchestra deals with the music of the two countries in a clichéd and ironic way and ends, according to the composer, with a "hellish" waltz.

 Aleksey Igudesman's trio for alto saxophone, violin and piano concludes in a different kind of furious manner. Take It To Eleven iis a sparkling, effective composition that takes into account the balance between saxophone and violin and requires spirited instrumental playing at a higher level.

Saxophonistically even more demanding is the Suite by Fazil Say for alto saxophone and piano, which is dedicated to Nobuya Sugawa. It demands flexibility in dealing with changing odd meters as well as technical skills in slap, flutter-tongue and altissimo. The arc of the six movements is carried by improvisatory ideas, musical particles and a pictorial free form. This music is imbued with expressivity and to a certain extent also reflects the composer's committed attitude, which is very open to liberated music-making.

Hywel Davies: Folk Roots for tenor saxophone and piano, BH 13309, € 17.99, Boosey & Hawkes, London

Mike Cornick: Three Latin Sketches, Three concert pieces in Latin American style for alto saxophone and piano, UE 21712, € 16.95, Universal Edition, Vienna

Linus Köhring: A Viennese in America, concerto for alto saxophone and small orchestra, piano reduction, D 05490, € 16.95, Doblinger, Vienna 2017

Aleksey Igudesman: Take It To Eleven for alto saxophone, violin and piano, UED3667700, only available as download, Universal Edition, Vienna

Fazil Say: Suite for alto saxophone and piano op. 55, ED 22267, € 49.00, Schott, Mainz